Davudi Bohra community as a Shiite-Isma'ilite religious group from history to the present

The Dāʾūdī Bohra community, with a global population exceeding one million, belongs to the Mustaʿlī-Tayyibī branch of the Ismāʿīlī sect within Shīʿa Islam. Tracing their spiritual and historical roots back to the Fāṭimid Caliphate, the Bohras consider themselves the legitimate inheritors of its legacy. Unlike the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs, the Mustaʿlī-Tayyibī Ismāʿīlīs believe that the last Imām has gone into occultation (ghayba), and that until his return, spiritual authority rests with the Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq. Today, this position is held by the 53rd Dāʿī al-Muṭlaq, Sayyidnā Mufaddal Saifuddīn. This thesis offers a comprehensive exploration of the Dāʾūdī Bohra community's historical development, doctrinal beliefs, ritual practices, and socio-cultural identity. The study is structured into three main chapters. Chapter one addresses the historical trajectory of the community. It traces the evolution of Ismāʿīlism from its early origins to the rise and fall of the Fāṭimid Caliphate, and then to the schisms that led to the Mustaʿlī and Tayyibī divisions. Special attention is given to the Bohras' migration to India, their internal subdivisions (such as the Sulaymānīs and the Qutbīs), and their contemporary geographic distribution. The chapter also examines their transformations in Yemen and India, as well as their interactions with political authorities over time. Chapter two delves into the theological framework and ritual life of the Dāʾūdī Bohras. It analyzes key tenets such as belief in God, prophethood, Imamate, and the unique role of the Dāʿī as the earthly representative of the hidden Imām. In addition to core practices like prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and almsgiving. Chapter three investigates how a distinct Bohra identity is constructed from birth to death. It explores life-cycle rituals such as naming ceremonies, circumcision, ʿaqīqa, and coming-of-age rites, along with institutionalized religious education, marriage customs, language use, clothing, and the Bohra calendar.